The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-05
GETTING ON FOOT AGAIN.
A MOVE TO REVIVE THE REPUBLI-
CAN ORGANIZATION.


Fred Douglass and Ex-senator Bruce
to be Invited to Savannah-The Cen
trail Republican Club Organized at
Last Nights Mass Meeting Justice
Matthews and L. NJ. Pleasant Talk TO
the Brethren.
A Republican mass meeting was held in
the colored Odd Fellows Hall last night for
the purpose of organizing a colored Repub-
lican club 10 prepare for the coming cam
naign The first object of the meeting was
to decide upon the advisability of inviting
Fred Douglass and ex-senator Bruce TO
come to Savannah and deliver addresses for
the benefit of the colored people There was
a unanimity of opinion upon that point,
and resolution to the effect that they
should be invited was unanimously passed.
The time. however has not been fixed but
il will not be- before June or July OF next
yesr
Justice w H. Matthews urged the form
ing. of the meeting into an association,
permanent club for the purpose of bringing
out the colored vote next year and arouslng
the colored people TO the necessity of going
10 the ballot box and availing themselves of
their right to vote. Acting upon his sug-
gestion, the Central Republican Club Of Sa-
vannah was organized, with Justice
Matthews President: George A. Davidson,
Vice President; Thomas f. Ferrebec, Score
tary. and Sanders, Treasurer
Justice Matthews upon taking the chair
made a speech, in which he urged the col
ored people 10 rouse themselves TO proper
appreciation Of their rights and necessities.
He had seen them stand by with their hands
dangling at their sides listening to protesta-
IL L IL.
enough. He wanted them to feel that the
time had come when they must make
themselves felt The white people, he
said. have control of the government
have all the high salaried offices
and are growing rich out of public posi-
tons. They will not give the colored PEG
pie a show in these matters, while they
stand idly by Such things are not given
away The white people do not give them
to each other. They are obtained by force,
and no one can have them unless he is in
position to demand them. The colored man
therefore must go to the ballot box and
work his end there. He has no
newspapers to esDouse his cause
or air his sentiments: the only
strength he has in his ballot But as long
as he listened to the declarations Of love
that are mede by The white people he win
never accomplish nything He does not
for the serf, the servant What he de
manded was respect, and the rights guaran-
teed him by the constitution. He wanted
discrimination against his color TO cease. II
is impossible to get even committee of the
leading colored politicians of the country to
meet in the South, because when they come
south OF Chattanooga, although they nay
the same fare as the whites, they are thrust
into open, dirty cars, and these leaders of
the party will not submit to that distinction
or travel in such conveyances. If the col
ored people want any recognition of their
rights they must come out on election day,
qualified voters, and at the ballot-box de
mand it.
L. NJ Pleasant said he was glad to see the
organization effected, and he was glad that
the people of his race were preparing TO
show their strength He was anxious to
have the colored people come out strong in
the next election, and show so much en-
thusissm that they could make James 6.
Blaine think he is President before he is
elected. Another thing he was anxious for
the colored people to do: to show the world
that Gov. Gordon could not carry the solid
colored vote of Georgia for any elective
Office ne might choose. That statement, he
said, was unjust to the Republican party of
the State. and he wanted the cOlored people
to prove it.
The meeting, although it was well at
tended, lacked tine spirit of the meetings
which were held under the old party or
ganization when the Republican element
was under white leadership and the party
was power.